Downton Abbey, either the series or the fictional estate, might seem like an unlikely incubator for 20th century feminism. But by the time the most popular series in PBS history wraps up this March, empowered women could be one of its strongest legacies.

Good things are happening in the film world. The largest minority group in America is stepping into the spotlight with a record number of films made by or about people with disabilities.

Halfway through the '60s, Hollywood was floundering its way trying to get in sync with and, more importantly in the studios' little bottom-line mind, trying to exploit the revolutionary tide of the times which emboldened that decade to consider itself the epiphany of the century.

2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the film that changed the entertainment industry as we know it, the film that rewrote the rules on action entertainment, that dazzled audiences with its innovative special effects, that forever lodged in popular culture the notion that exciting adventures awaited audiences a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

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I am amazed Lemmy lived as long as he did. In 1985, I would see him at the Marquee club or in a nearby pub with an endless parade of cigarettes in one hand, double shots of Jack in another, pumping coins into a slot machine. He lived 30 years longer than I ever imagined.

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What a weird, often sad, poignant year 2015 has been in pop culture. It was the year of Bill Cosby's demise, Taylor Swift's continual rise, the emergence of Caitlyn Jenner, and the unstoppable power of the force.

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The live stage read was truly historic because it was not only the first time in Hollywood history that a screenplay written by QT was shared with the public before it was made into a film but it was also shared before he was able to even finish it due to a scandalous script leak.

The Rhymesayers label has become the international ambassador of Twin Cities hip-hop. Since 1995, they have consistently produced albums that have given underground hip-hop lovers exactly what they want.

Joy lags until Bradley Cooper enters and sparks fly between him and Jennifer Lawrence, then they fizzle and the film snores on.

"Each person dies as best they can," says Julian (Ricardo Darin) in the Spanish-language dramedy Truman, screened out of competition at the Festival International Du Film De Marrakech.

This was a strong year for music and one that felt more tumultuous than ever for planet Earth and its inhabitants. No coincidence, I'm sure. Here are some favorites from 2015.

There were a lot of the usual ups and downs that remind us we're all human, together in a fragile, fleeting dance called "life" -- and yet through it all, a continuous thread of gratitude is woven into the fabric of my journey.

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Star Wars, opening with that great sound, calls us into what J. R. R. Tolkien called a heterocosm, an other world, completely unlike, yet, not unlike our own. Such worlds highlight one element of what it means to be human and to exercise our free will: choice.

The box office news just keeps on comin'. Having already passed $1 billion in ticket sales faster than any movie in history, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set to overtake Avatar as the highest grossing film of all time within days.

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I just watched Stars Wars and I am so proud of Disney for creating the first true Warrior Princess.

One would say "It's not possible to sneak in any more huge-budget films in one year." 2016 laughs. We haven't yet realized how crowded with blockbusters the next year is going to be.